Cop beaten up by MLAs: Sharad Pawar demands stern action

New Delhi: NCP supremo Sharad Pawar tonight asked the Maharashtra government to take stern action against a group of legislators who beat up a police officer inside the Vidhan Bhavan, an incident that shocked the state.

"I appeal to the Maharashtra government that those who are responsible for the offence should be dealt sternly as per law so that a message goes out that there is rule of law in the state", he said in a statement.

Condemning the incident, Pawar, who had been a member of the state legislature for 27 long years, said he felt "ashamed" that some elements there had resorted to such an unprecedented action.

Pawar, whose party is a major partner in the Congress led coalition in the state, told the legislators that their dignity would not enhance by taking law into their own hands and they should send a clear signal to the people that they distance from such elements.

Sharad Pawar in this file photo. PTI

His statement came close on the heels of an incident in Mumbai where a police officer who dared to fine an MLA for alleged over-speeding, was beaten up right inside the Vidhan Bhavan by a group of legislators and had to be carried on a stretcher.

Sachin Suryavanshi, an Assistant Police Inspector attached to the Worli police station, was beaten up by a group of MLAs outside the visitors gallery after he allegedly made some "provocative" gestures.

Suryavanshi had yesterday stopped the vehicle of Kshitij Thakur, a Bahujan Vikas Agadhi MLA from Vasai, on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link when the latter was on way to attend the Assembly session, slapped a fine for speeding, and also allegedly misbehaved with him.